Plot
Homesteader Angie Lowe and her six-year-old son Johnny are doing chores when soldier Hondo Lane arrives with his dog, carrying his saddle bags and rifle. He was riding dispatch for the U.S. Army Cavalry, had an encounter with Native Americans, and lost his horse. Hondo offers to work for awhile to earn a horse, and Angie agrees. Angie repeatedly says that her husband is away herding cattle, but Hondo realizes he has been gone a long time. Hondo encourages her to pack up and return with him to the Army fort, since the treaty with the Apache was broken and they are planning a war; Angie believes her friendship with the Apache will keep her safe. That night, she remembers hearing Hondo killed three men. She threatens him with an unloaded gun; he loads it for her. Hondo mentions that he once lived among the Apache and had an Apache wife. He then kisses a confused Angie, who reminds him of his wife, and leaves for the fort. The Apaches later come to the ranch, led by Chief Vittorio and Silva. When Vittorio touches Angie, Johnny gets her gun and shoots at Silva. Though he misses, Vittorio is impressed with his bravery and makes him a blood brother. Vittorio insists that a brave child should have a father, and leaves. At the fort, Hondo sees fellow scout Buffalo Baker. He reports to the major that C Troop was wiped out by Apaches and meets Ed Lowe, a settler angry that the cavalry is not better protecting the settlers. In a saloon, Hondo gets into a fight with Ed, whom he later realizes is Angie's absentee husband. Meanwhile, Vittorio, sure that Ed is dead, gives Angie an ultimatum to take an Apache husband by the rainy season. The next morning, Ed accuses Hondo of stealing his horse, seeing the "EL" brand. His friends defend Hondo, who leaves to return the horse to the ranch. Upset about the fight and horse, Ed follows Hondo to bushwhack him. While camped, Hondo is set upon by Apache, who also attack Ed. In the confusion, Hondo saves Ed's life. Ed eventually draws on Hondo, who kills him. Ed was clutching a photograph of Johnny, which Hondo takes. The Apache capture and torture Hondo for information about the cavalry's movements. When Vittorio sees Johnny's photo, he decides to subject Hondo to a one-on-one fight to the death with Silva, whose brother Hondo killed. Hondo is victorious, but lets Silva live; the Apache drop Hondo off at the ranch, where Angie lies about him being her husband. Hondo attempts to reveal the truth of Ed's death, but is interrupted by Vittorio's return. The chief says that the pony soldiers will come. He asks Hondo to mislead the cavalry as a test; Hondo refuses to lie, and Vittorio is satisfied. Angie admits she loves Hondo, and they kiss. The next day, the cavalry troops arrive and expect Angie to leave. Hondo and she refuse. While they camp, another scout wants Hondo's rifle; he says he will tell Angie what happened to Ed if Hondo refuses. Hondo punches him, but Angie overhears. The cavalry eventually leaves and Hondo stays behind. Hondo prepares to go, but first tells Angie the truth about Ed's death. He also wants to tell Johnny, but she persuades him not to, admitting that she did not love Ed any longer. She says telling Johnny the truth would be unkind, and the secret will not follow them to Hondo's ranch in California. Hondo responds to her plea with a Native American word that seals an Apache wife-seeking ceremony, ''Varlabania'', which he says means "forever". The troops return to the ranch, having killed Vittorio in a battle, but with their commanding officer badly wounded. While the Apache regroup, Hondo, Angie, and Johnny join the wagon train and head for the fort. The Apaches catch up, and the cavalry, led by Hondo, circles the wagons and counterattacks. Hondo kills Silva (their new leader) and the Apaches scatter, giving the settlers and soldiers a chance to escape. The wagon train regroups and proceeds to the fort with Hondo remaining in command.Cast
Development and production
Wayne's newly formed production company Wayne-Fellows Productions (later Batjac) purchased the rights to Louis L'Amour's short story "The Gift of Cochise" in 1952, and set Wayne's friend and frequent collaborator James Edward Grant to write the adaptation, which expanded the original story, introduced new characters, and added the cavalry subplot. L'Amour was given the rights to write the novelization of the film, which became a bestseller after the film's release. The film shoot was scheduled for the summer of 1953 in the Mexican desert state of Chihuahua in the San Francisco de Conchos region. Today, this region is known for its tourist attractions, such as Lago Colina and the spring pools Los Filtros. It is a green-area region with plenty of fishing and agricultural growth. Wayne and his producing partner Robert Fellows wanted to shoot the film in the trendsetting 3D format. Warner Bros. supplied the production with the newly developed "All-Media Camera", which could shoot in any format, including 3D, using twin lenses placed slightly apart to produce the stereoscopic effect necessary for it. Despite that, they were smaller than the twin camera process used previously for 3D, the All-Media Cameras were still bulky and made the film shoot difficult, causing delays when transported to remote desert locations. Further, director John Farrow and director of photography Robert Burks were unfamiliar with the new technology and had trouble adjusting to using it, while the cameras were frequently broken due to wind blowing sand into their mechanisms or from other inclement weather conditions. Farrow used the technology to produce fewer gimmicks than other 3D films did at the time, with only a few scenes showing people or objects coming at the camera, such as gunfire or knives. Instead, he preferred to use it to increase the depth of the expansive wide shots of the Mexican desert, or when showing figures against a landscape. The casting of Geraldine Page as the female lead was considered quite puzzling to many in Hollywood at the time. Though ''Hondo'' was not her first film, she had been known primarily as a Broadway stage actress and employed theTheatrical release
Even with the production troubles that came with the location shooting in 3D, the studio thought it was a worthwhile venture, since 3D pictures were at the height of popularity at the time of the film's development. By the time the film was completed, though, public interest in 3D had started to wane. The distributing studio Warner Bros. did everything it could to promote its new 3D camera process, and went beyond the typical gimmicks used by other popular 3D films at the time, such as '' House of Wax'', producing a richer sense of perspective. ''Hondo'' was released on November 27, 1953, and was presented in the 3D format in only extremely few if any theaters at the time; theaters were unable to show the film in the stereoscopic format because the Polaroid 3D projection system required a brighter and more light-reflective screen, referred to as a "silver screen", which was an added cost theater owners were reluctant to pay. The film has an intermission, which comes right after Hondo is captured by the Apaches. This is included on the DVD version. The film ended up becoming quite popular with audiences, eventually grossing $4.1 million at the box office and placing it in the top-20 moneymakers for that year.Restoration and home media
An initial restoration of ''Hondo'' was overseen by Wayne's sonReferences in popular culture
Boston Celtics Hall of Fame swingman John Havlicek was nicknamed Hondo by a childhood friend who thought his demeanor resembled that of Wayne's character. Part of a 1988 episode of '' Married... with Children'', titled "All in the Family", has Al Bundy readying himself to watch ''Hondo'' in peace during a three-day weekend, but Peggy's family comes to visit, and their ensuing problems prevent him from seeing the film, just as their antics prevented him from seeing '' Shane'' the previous year. A later 1994 episode of ''Married... with Children'', titled " Assault and Batteries", has a subplot in which Al is desperate not to miss another television airing of ''Hondo'', because, as he explains, it is the best John Wayne movie and it only airs "once every 17 years". Al does miss this airing at the end of the episode and would have to wait until February 18, 2011, to see it again."Assault And Batteries", '' Married... with Children''. Fox Broadcasting Company, New York City. 8 May 1994. Television. Al holds the film in very high esteem, once telling Peggy's family members, "Your lives are meaningless compared to ''Hondo''!" Two later John Wayne Westerns contain subtle references to ''Hondo''. In '' Rio Lobo'' (1970), a wanted poster for Hondo Lane can be seen on a wall in the sheriff's office. In the 1973 film '' The Train Robbers'', the chief male and female characters (played by Wayne and Ann-Margret) are Lane and Mrs. Lowe, the same names as in "Hondo". In '' Men in Black 3'' (2012), Agent K refers to Agent J as "Hondo" when J stares at him as he drives: "You lose something over here, Hondo?"References
External links
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